Food Pairings

Back Forty pairs well with roasted, broiled or barbequed red meats such as lamb, beef, pork or veal. Medium and strong-flavored semi-soft, semi-hard, aged or creamy cheeses work well, or pair Back Forty with a dark chocolate dessert for a special treat.

How It's Made

French clone 337 was selected specifically for Back Forty because of its small berry size and rich tannins. The grapes for Back Forty are hand harvested, and upon entering the winery, gravity fed directly into oak tanks for four days of cold soaking, then fermented and macerated for 24 - 28 days on the skins. After primary fermentation, the wine is drained and pressed to barrels for malolactic fermentation and aged in the wine caves for 24 months, with an additional 14 months aging in bottle prior to release.

The Vintage

Our mountain vines are grown in shallow, rocky, low-vigor soils that add impressive depth and concentration of flavors to the wine. 2013 was another great year for making wine. The growing season began with an early budbreak, after a cool, wet winter. An unusually warm and dry spring was followed by a consistently warm summer leading to elevated temperatures toward the end of August prompting an earlier harvest than in recent years. These favorable conditions resulted in wines featuring good color and tannin structure along with concentrated flavors.